


Herondale

by Halmaithor



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - This World Inverted (Shadowhunters TV), F/M, Family Drama, Revelations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-12 06:54:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29380953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Halmaithor/pseuds/Halmaithor
Summary: ‘He lied to me. My whole life.’Clary sets her satchel down on the nearest chair, and cautiously, warily steps closer. ‘You mean your dad, right? What did he do?’ she asks as gently as she can.Jace barks out a short, sharp laugh. ‘That’s just it. He’s not my dad.’In every universe, the truth will out.
Relationships: Clary Fray/Jace Wayland, Jace Wayland & Michael Wayland
Comments: 4
Kudos: 16
Collections: SHBingo 20-21





	Herondale

**Author's Note:**

> Bingo's really taking me outside my comfort zone, which is cool. This was for the square 'Java Jace', and is set four years or so after TWI. Please enjoy! <3

‘Michael lied to me.’

It’s the first thing Jace says when Clary gets home that evening, and it stops her in her tracks. ‘What?’  
‘He _lied_ to me. My whole life.’ Jace’s voice is low, quiet – _dangerous,_ her mind supplies, though she’s never had reason to think of her boyfriend like that before.  
She sets her satchel down on the nearest chair, and cautiously, warily steps closer. ‘You mean your dad, right? What did he do?’ she asks as gently as she can.  
Jace barks out a short, sharp laugh that’s even more frightening than his strange tone of voice. ‘That’s just it. He’s not my dad.’

Clary’s mind short-circuits a little, wrapping itself around that. _‘What?’  
_Jace pushes up to his feet, starting to pace the same way he does whenever he gets agitated – though if this is what it sounds like (and she doesn’t know _what_ else it could be, just – _how_ could it be _this?),_ Clary doesn’t think a night out with her and Simon is going to soothe it better this time.  
Oblivious to her thoughts, Jace continues his tirade. ‘Yeah. Turns out I’m _adopted,_ which would be just fine except _one,_ it was _illegal,_ and _two,_ he didn’t bother mentioning it until I was _twenty-fucking-five.’_ He laughs again, though it’s a lot more strained this time. ‘My original surname was Herondale, by the way. Which I now know, because about five seconds before he told me all of the other stuff, he introduced this lady called Imogen. My _grandmother._ Who, until now, apparently thought I’d died along with my mom in childbirth – _god,_ it’s like a fucking soap opera, how the fuck am I supposed to –’

 _‘Jace.’_ She interrupts him, then, because this is quickly spiraling out from a vent into a panic attack, and that’s the last thing he needs right now. She stands in front of him, reaching up to his shoulders, tracing up to his neck and cradling him there. ‘Breathe, okay? It’s a lot, I hear that. But you’re okay. I’m here, we’re safe at home, everything’s gonna be okay. Just – just take a breath, and tell me the rest when you’re ready, and we’ll deal with it together, okay?’

His hands come up to latch onto hers, and he closes his eyes, taking slow, deliberate breaths.

A minute or so later, he looks back up at her. ‘I don’t know what’s gonna happen, Clar,’ he murmurs, and his eyes are shiny, his jaw tight. ‘I mean, I’m an adult, you know? It’s not like she can sue for _custody._ But she’s – she’s so pissed, and she has every right to be, she was my next of kin and he _took_ me from her. And I’m pissed too, but –’ he takes a deep, shuddering breath – ‘but he’s my _dad,’_ he whispers, his voice breaking over the word. ‘I don’t want him to – to go to prison, or anything. I just… don’t know what to do.’

But Clary knows what to do, and so she does.  
She guides him over to the couch, gently presses him into taking a seat. She grabs the water bottle from her bag and holds it out to him. She sits back against the couch herself, until she can topple him back into her arms and hold on tight.  
Only then does she speak – and it’s not the _maybe you could do x, maybe your dad has y, maybe your grandmother is z_ that springs to mind – it’s something short, simple. ‘When are you seeing them next? Either of them?’ she amends.

Jace sighs, leaning heavily against her. ‘I’m supposed to be meeting Imogen again tomorrow morning. Apparently, she wants to get to know me.’  
Clary nods. ‘Alright. Why don’t you ask y- Michael to come too? And I’ll come along, if you want, or Simon could – or my dad, even, I’m sure he’d help you out. Sit them down, make sure there’s someone there in your corner, and have everyone talk it out like grown-ups. Then, whatever happens, you’ll at least know your next move, right?’

He seems to consider it for a moment, and then he nods. ‘You’re right,’ he murmurs. He looks back up at her, and the softness in his eyes makes her heart ache. ‘I have no idea how I got so lucky, you know that? I don’t know what I’d do without you, babe.’

Clary smiles at him, and presses a kiss to the top of his head. ‘You’ll never have to find out,’ she promises.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, do please let me know what you thought ^^
> 
> [Find me on tumblr! :)](https://www.silver-lily-louise.tumblr.com)


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